Brunel's Tower - Eden Phillpotts

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 edition. Excerpt: ... chapter Xni the clay-works Harvey Porter, at the entreaty of Nelly Todd, asked for a holiday. The occasion was a very special one, for Nelly and her grandfather were going up to Dartmoor edge, where the old potter had business; and since the visit would entail sights of interest not unconnected with Harvey's work, it seemed good to Easterbrook that he should go. He had not yet had a holiday, or asked for one, and he was not denied. He spoke to Joanna, of whom he had seen little save at business since her aunt's retirement, and innocently she awoke a violent interest in Porter. "No doubt it is about his business that Mr. Todd is going. I went once with Nelly. Every year they go to Cornwood by train. Then they drive to Harford and walk up the River Erme valley to some clay-works under Harford Moor. Two friends run the works--two elderly men; and they think a lot of Mr. Todd. But no doubt Nelly's told you all this and more.' ' No--'tis to be a surprise, ' he said. His interest grew, and he began to wonder what Wilberforce Todd wanted with china clay. At Brunel's Tower the white clay was used for slip only, or in the making of the smaller pieces. He wished that Joanna was coming; but she did not echo the wish. ' Two's company, ' she said. It was her invariable answer when he asked her to join him and Nelly on Saturday or Sunday. She hid her heart and was striving to get the lad out of it, for it seemed clear to her that his interest in the other girl could only mean one thing. For that reason she never asked him a question concerning Nelly and gave him none of the opportunities that he might have taken to explain a little of the truth. But, indeed, had she been inquisitive, he could not have said much, for his intuition seldom erred, and he...